Honoring the life of 17-year-old, Trayvon Martin, urging the State of Florida and others to repeal the Stand Your Ground law, and admonishing involved parties to pursue full investigations into all homicides, regardless of defenses asserted by the offender.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 30, 2012

Mr. CLEAVER (for himself, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, and Ms. WILSON of Florida) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Honoring the life of 17-year-old, Trayvon Martin, urging the State of Florida and others to repeal the Stand Your Ground law, and admonishing involved parties to pursue full investigations into all homicides, regardless of defenses asserted by the offender.

Whereas on February 26, 2012, Trayvon Martin, an African-American youth, was horrifically shot and killed while walking from his local 7-Eleven in Sanford, Florida, because he was viewed as `suspicious' by George Zimmerman;

Whereas Zimmerman, a self-appointed, untrained neighborhood watch volunteer, admitted to police that he shot Martin in the chest;

Whereas Zimmerman raised a `self-defense' claim and Martin, as the deceased victim, was unable to rebut such claim;

Whereas Zimmerman was never charged for the crime and was released by the Sanford Police Department soon thereafter;

Whereas despite the numerous pieces of evidence, including a 911 call made by Zimmerman, Martin's final phone conversation which occurred during the course of the crime, the numerous calls made to 911 by nearby neighbors who heard the incident, and Zimmerman's troubling legal history, the Sanford Police claimed they did not have enough evidence to detain Zimmerman and subsequently released him;

Whereas Zimmerman's unfounded assumptions and racial bias led to the use of deadly force;

Whereas a month after the crime, Zimmerman remains free and still bears a concealed weapons permit and the legal right to carry a gun;

Whereas Trayvon Martin's brutal death and the inconceivable fact that his killer remains free should not be ignored;

Whereas the Sanford Police Department and its Chief, who is on temporary administrative leave while the case is being investigated, have faced a firestorm of criticism over the handling of the shooting;

Whereas this case sets a horrific precedent of vigilante justice and compromises the integrity of the legal system;